In this day and age, it is difficult to create original films that have a strong feeling of the writer or director. In Japan, for example, the majority of the films produced today are based on manga or novels. Ryutaro Nakagawa started his career as a poet, and he will talk about how that affects the films he makes now, and those he has made in the past. He will also discuss the importance of non-major feature films for society and the possibilities they hold for the future.

Ryutaro Nakagawa, is a Japanese film director. When his films “August in Tokyo” and “Tokyo Sunrise” were screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2014 and 2015, respectively, he became the youngest director ever to have his films selected by TIFF two years in a row. His films are widely recognized by international media, including Cahiers du Cinéma, as representing a new wave. In 2017 his film “Summer Blooms” was awarded the International Critics Prize at the 29th Moscow International Film Festival.